Game apparatus



Sept; 9. 1924. 1,508,117

" I w. F.I'NIEMEYER cams APPARATUS Filed liar-ch .17. 1923 HOME RUN 292BASE HOMERUN I BASE Patent Sept. 9, 19243 WILLIAM F. NIEMEYER, orBROOKLYN,

NEW YORK, THOMAS J. srrnaana, or BROOKLYN,

NEW roan.

GAME arranarus Application filed March 17, 1923. Serial No. 625.728.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. NIE- MEYER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residin in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city andState of New York, have invented an Improvement in Game Appara tus, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a game appara tus, and more particularly to anapparatus for playing baseball. I am aware that heretofore variousdevices have been designed for playing baseball and similar games, butin all instances of the same which have been 15 brought to my attentionthe manner in which the game is played and won or lost depends entirelyupon chance and not in any degree whatsoever upon the skill of theplayers. For example, this type of game as customarily been played byspinning a wheel or pin or throwing dice or by a combination of both sothat the element of chance isthe controlling one in playing the game.Furthermore, in games of this 25 type, which have heretofore come to myattention, while being used by diiierent teams or groups in playing thegame one team is active while the other is inactive, and this naturallyhas a tendency to lessen 30 the interest in playing the game; whereas,in the use of my proposed game apparatus both teams or sides areactively engaged inplay as is the casein playing an actual game ofbaseball, so that the rules covering the 35 real game may be utilizedand plays made to represent the actual plays in a real game of baseball.

In carrying out the invention the aparatus preferably comprises aplaying to oard having a baseball diamond marked thereon, together witha plurality of'pegs and pockets which are utilized in playing the gameto represent the players in certain positions and certain plays,the gamebeing layed by difierent sides or teams with a all and cue, as will behereinafter more particularly described. V

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a plan of a game apparatus made 50 inaccordance with my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2, Fig. 1. Referring to the drawing, theapparatus made in accordance with this'invention preferably comprises abase which may or 5 may not include a suitable stand for supporting thea paratus. In the base 10 there is a playing oard 11 upon the ufpperside ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0- of which there is a playing sur aceindioated at 12. It will be understood that the board member may be madeof any suitable material and that with the playing surface. Indicateddiagrammatically on the playing surface is a baseball diamond 13. Thisis made in the usual manner so as to indicate the path between the homeplate and the several bases.-

This includes an alley designated at 1 1 extending between the pitchersbox and the home plate. The diagram also includes the foul lines 15 and16 extending from they home plate, as indicated.

Secured in the playing board I employ a plurality of pegs, and also insuitable positions in the playing board there are a plurality ofrecesses or pockets. The peg 17 is designatedto represent a batter inposition at the bat adjacent the home plate. Behind the batter and atthe'catchers station, or in the catchers position, there are pockets orrecesses indicated at 18, 19 and 20. The pocket 18 is employed todesignate a strike, the pocket 19 a ball, and the pocket 20 an out.

The bag at first base is indicated by a peg 21, and in a suitableposition in the right field behind first and second base and outside ofthe diamond there is a pocket or recess 22 designated first base pocket.The second base bag is indicated at 23. Behind the second base positionthere is also a peg 24 designated second base, and adjacent the same apocket 25 -designated second base home run. The position of the shortstop is indicated by a peg 26 placed in the left field outside of thediamond. The third base bag is indicated by a peg 27, and the thirdbasemans position is indicated by a peg 28 adjacent which there is alsoa pocket 29 designated third base home run.

The position of the right fielder is indicated by the peg 30 adjacentwhich the is a pocket 31 designated safe home run. e position of'theleft fielder isindicated by a peg 34: adjacent which there is a pocket35 which is also designated safe home run.

The apparatus as constructed is provided with a rail or cushion 36surrounding the playing surface in inuch the same manner that thecushion surrounds a billiard or pool table so that the gamey be play thesame is also the case are with a ball 37 made of ivory composition orother material by the use of a one 38. lit will be understood, however,that the game may be equally well played by making the rail of wood ormetal and employ a rubber ball instead of a solid ball. It willfurthermore be understood that the various pegs as hereinbeforedescribed maybe provided with bores or recesses in order to receivefigures representing the players if it is desired to use the same;- andalso that the various 'pegs may be covered with rubber tubing or othersimilar material when a solid ball is employed or otherwise protected asmay be necessary to prevent the same becoming broken or otherwiseinjured in the-use of the apparatus.

In pla ing the game with the apparatus hereinbe ore described, theplayers in turn on the team which is in the field play the ball with thecue from the position illustrated in the drawing in which the ball 37 isplaced in the pitchers box so as to represent the pitcher-in the actualplay of pitching the ball. Likewise the players on the team'at the battake their places in turn at the batters station or position indicatedat 17 Of course the various players may use their judgment as to theplay which they would. attempt 'to make in much the same manner thatplays are made in the actual game. For example, the player acting aspitcher may endeavor to pitch a strike. In so doing it is necessary tomake the ball travel along the alley 14: and to lodge in the pocketindicated 18; or the player acting as pitcher may wish to pitch a ballin which event it is necessary to lodge the ball in the pocket indicatedat 19;or in other instances the player acting as pitcher may wish toattempt to put out a player who has reached one of the bases and in sodoing it is necessary to cause the ball 37 to lodge in the pocketdesignated 20. It will be noted that the station of the batter is soplaced that the ball must just clear the peg in order to cause it tolodge in the pocket 18, and similarly in shooting the ball from thepitchers box the ball must be made to just clear the other side of the.peg representing the batter to lodge in the pocket indicated at 20. Inplaying the game should the player not succeed in causing the ball tolodge in either of these pockets of s eam? course it will strike therail and rebound. It will then be the turn of the next succeeding batterto place the ball at the home plate, and by using the cue to make anyplay which he may consider advisable; for example he may attempt to makea base hit by causing the ball to lodge in the pocket 22, or he mayattempt to make a safe home run by causing the ball to lodge in eitherof the pockets'3 1, 33 or 85, it being necessary in some instances tocause the ball to first strike the rail in order to accomplish this. Itwill then be the next succeeding players turn to act as pitcher and, forexample, he may attempt to put the runner out by shooting the ball intothe pocket indicated at 20.

. t is thought that the foregoing will serve the purpose of illustratingthe manner in which the game may be played, and it will now be obviousthat any one of the innumerable plays possible in an actual baseballgame may be attempted in the use of this apparatus and that suitablerules may be arranged, based upon the actual rules of playing baseball.

1 claim as my invention:

1. A game apparatus comprising a board having a playing surfa erepresenting abaseball diamond thereon, a peg 'fixed .in position at thehomeplate, and recesses or pockets in the playing surface behind thesaid peg in such positions that a ball struck by a one in the hands of aplayer and moved from a position designating the pitchers box must justclear the said peg on one side to be lodged in one of the said pocketsand must just clear the peg on the other side to be lodged in another ofthe said pockets.

2. A game apparatus comprising a board having a playing surfacerepresenting a baseball diamond thereon, a plurality of pegs fixed inthe said board to represent the bases and certain players, there being aplurality of recesses or pockets associated with the said pegs wherebywhen a ball is moved by a cue in the hands of a player from the homeplate position it must clear one of the said pegs in order to lodge in avrecess'or pocket associated therewith to ac- Mill

